What's In A Name?
by badly-knitted
Summary: Dee wonders why Ryo doesn't seem to have a nickname for him. Set after Vol. 7. This is shameless fluff, folks! Written for Challenge 68: Nicknames at beattheblackdog.


**Title:** What's In A Name?

 **Author:** badly-knitted

 **Characters:** Dee, Ryo.

 **Rating:** PG

 **Setting:** After Vol. 7.

 **Summary:** Dee wonders why Ryo doesn't seem to have a nickname for him.

 **Word Count:** 777

 **Written For:** Challenge 68: Nicknames at beattheblackdog.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own FAKE, or the characters. They belong to the wonderful Sanami Matoh.

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Dee has a lot of names for Ryo, calling him an airhead when he's oblivious to things that would be obvious to anyone else, and teasingly referring to him as his little worker ant every time he has to practically drag him away from work and make him get some rest. There are times he thinks his partner would work around the clock if nobody stopped him, so caught up in whatever case they're working that he completely loses track of time. Dee's a firm believer in working during work hours and relaxing the rest of the time. He even manages to cram some relaxation into his workdays, unlike his workaholic lover. Being a cop is tough; you have to pace yourself or you burn out. He's seen that happen.

Outside work, Dee refers to Ryo as 'gorgeous', or 'beautiful', calls him 'baby' or 'babe' or 'sexy' during intimate moments. When he thinks about it, he probably uses pet names more often than Ryo's given name. Ryo doesn't reciprocate though, which Dee thinks is strange. Sure, his partner calls him a horndog, but that's less a nickname and more a statement of fact. Horny is Dee's default setting, especially around his baby.

It's just, Ryo never calls him baby, lover, sweetheart, darling, honey, or even sugar; the only time Dee thought he had, he'd actually been asking if Dee wanted sugar in his coffee. Dee's not Ryo's Love Muffin, or Cuddlebug, or any of the other silly names previous lovers have given him. He's not even Mister Sexy, which is probably a good thing since that's JJ's nickname for him, and if Ryo called him that too, it would be way too disturbing.

Still, the lack of an affectionate nickname nags at Dee until eventually he has to ask. He and Ryo are lounging on the sofa in Ryo's apartment when he blurts the words out. "How come you don't have a pet name for me?"

"Hmmm?" Ryo looks up from his book, peering at Dee over the tops of his reading glasses. He really is adorable.

"Well, my little bookworm, I've got loads of affectionate names for you, but aside from throwin' all kinds of insults my way when you're mad at me, the rest of the time you just call me Dee."

"That's your name." Ryo has that puzzled look on his face that means he just doesn't get it, and for some weird reason, it just makes Dee love him more.

"Yeah, but everyone has pet names for their lover. All my other lovers had special names for me."

"ALL of them?" Ryo's eyebrows go up. "How many… No, on second thoughts I don't want to know."

"Hey, there were only a lot because none of them was the right one. You've got nothin' to worry about, babe. All I want is you and only you, for the rest of our lives."

Ryo relaxes, a soft smile curving his lips. "I want that too, Dee; nobody else has ever made me feel the way you do." The warmth and sincerity with which Ryo says his name sends a warm glow through Dee; it's almost like a caress, and suddenly he wonders whether he's the one who doesn't get it. Nicknames and pet names are cute and fun, especially for people who sometimes have trouble putting what they feel into words, but somehow Ryo manages to put everything he feels into his voice when he uses Dee's name, whether he says it with sharp annoyance, warm affection, tenderness, or desire. Why would Dee ever need anything more than that?

"You know what? Forget I said anything," Dee murmurs, pulling Ryo into his arms and kissing him softly. "Who needs pet names anyway? Just so happens I love the way you say my name. But if it's okay with you, I'm still gonna call you baby," another kiss, "and gorgeous," and another, "and sexy," a peck to the lips and one to the tip of Ryo's nose, "and probably a whole bunch of other sappy names I haven't even thought of yet."

Ryo is laughing by now, his book sliding onto the floor, forgotten, as he winds his arms around Dee, his dark eyes alight with happiness. "You're crazy, but I love you anyway, and I always will."

And really, that's all Dee needs to know. "Love you too, babe, body and soul. There's no part of me that isn't yours." Because Ryo, airhead and worker ant though he may be, is still as close to perfect as anyone Dee has ever known, and he wouldn't change a single thing about him even if he could.

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The End


End file.
